Plans are shaping up for there to be more planes hanging around Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru.
While not imminent, at a recent committee meeting, aldermen discussed plans to put the construction of three box hangars out for bidding.
“That’s our next big project,” said Chuck Studer, who manages the airport. “Those would be to attract more corporate jets to the airport. We’ve had requests for that. We’d be looking to house permanently based aircraft.”
He said the 70-foot-by-70-foot box hangars would be able to house small jets and large turboprop planes.
The airport currently has 38 hangars, but only one is capable of hosting corporate aircraft. That hangar can hold three such planes.
“We’d be doubling the amount of space available to corporate operators,” Studer said.
The new hangars would be east of existing hangars on property that’s already set up, Studer said.
Peru City Council also has approved a land-lease agreement with Brad Deckert, owner of the TBM Avenger kept at the airport, that will mean another new hangar.
Deckert would pay for building the new hangar and lease the land.
“It’s part of an ongoing process to update our airport,” said alderman Jim Lukosus. “You’ll see some changes going on at the airport.”
Studer compared the project to similar arrangements for OSF Life Flight and Marquis Energy.
Deckert’s hangar would be 70 feet by 88 feet and be to the north of existing hangars. It would have floor heat and a hydraulic door.
“The airport takes such good care of me now it’s been a tough decision to build my own hangar,” Deckert said. “It will allow me to house more parts for the airplane. We have literally semi loads of parts to support that airplane.”
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